Summary:
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a complex law that sets data privacy rights and principles for organizations operating in the EU or handling EU residents’ data. GDPR compliance is essential, as failure to comply can result in significant penalties. This article provides practical insights into GDPR compliance, including a checklist covering the core regulations, useful definitions, data processing principles, data subjects’ rights, data privacy and protection measures, and data transfers and sharing rules. IBM Security® Guardium® is mentioned as a potential solution to help organizations streamline the process of reaching and maintaining GDPR compliance.

GDPR Compliance Checklist – Essential for Organizations Handling EU Residents’ Data
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) specifies the requirements for companies operating in the European Union (EU) or handling EU residents’ data. The GDPR compliance checklist is a crucial guide for organizations aiming to meet the key regulations and principles outlined in the GDPR.

Key Points:
1. The GDPR applies to organizations based in the European Economic Area (EEA) and also to organizations outside the EEA under specific conditions such as offering goods or services to EEA residents or processing data on behalf of a company based in the EEA. It encompasses various entities including schools, hospitals, and government agencies, and exemptions are limited to specific activities.

2. Understanding essential GDPR terminology is essential for compliance, including terms such as personal data, data subjects, data controller, data processing, and supervisory authorities.

3. The GDPR compliance checklist involves adhering to data processing principles, upholding the rights of data subjects, applying appropriate data security measures, and following the rules for data transfers and sharing.

4. Data processing principles encompass lawful basis for processing data, specific purpose limitation, minimum data collection, data accuracy and retention, additional protections for children’s data and special category data, documentation of data processing activities, and ultimate responsibility of the data controller for compliance.

5. Data subjects’ rights under the GDPR encompass accessibility, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, objection, and data portability, with organizations obligated to provide avenues for subjects to exercise these rights.

6. Stringent data privacy and protection measures involving cybersecurity controls, data protection impact assessments (DPIAs), appointment of a data protection officer (DPO), breach notifications, and the appointment of a representative in the EEA for organizations outside the EEA are among the essential aspects of GDPR compliance.

7. The GDPR also stipulates rules for data transfers and data sharing, including the necessity of using formal data processing agreements and conducting approved data transfers outside the EEA.

With GDPR compliance being a continuous process, organizations must ensure ongoing efforts to comply with the regulation, and relevant data security and compliance solutions like IBM Security® Guardium® can assist them in maintaining GDPR compliance effectively.